Smyly Struggles In Return From DL

CINCINNATI, OH - JUNE 10: Drew Smyly #33 of the Detroit Tigers pitches in the second inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on June 10, 2012 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)CINCINNATI, OH - JUNE 10: Drew Smyly #33 of the Detroit Tigers pitches in the second inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on June 10, 2012 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

LHP Drew Smyly returned to the rotation Tuesday night after being on the disabled list due to a blister on his left middle finger, but he stumbled in the fourth inning. Smyly, whose previous start for Detroit was on June 10, threw 97 pitches in 4 2/3 innings Tuesday against the Rangers, allowing six runs on eight hits. He’s only in his second full year of pro ball, and his inexperience might have been a contributing factor to his inability to cut off a Texas rally after the Rangers had scored twice in the fourth to square the score at 3-3. A one-out throwing error by Smyly on a base hit in the fourth opened the gates.

“Smyly double-clutched on that infield ball, the one he threw away,” manager Jim Leyland said. “He got a couple pitches up that they didn’t hit very good but they found holes. He got a little antsy after he threw that ball away.”